If this is your first visit, be sure to
check out the FAQ by clicking the
link above. You may have to register
before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages,
select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below.

Bank Internet Non-security

This may not belong here, but I have to share with someone.

For many years I had an account with a Mexican/California bank, originally known as California Commerce Bank, then changed to Banamex USA. Last year they told us there were certain international transactions we could no longer make. It was stated on-line that they had perhaps possibly failed to comply with money laundering requirements of the Federal Government, though that is not certain.

And, not long ago they notified all users that they were closing as of April 1, 2016. When I went to their page it had FDIC all over it.

I got a wire transfer form by mail, which I apparently was supposed to complete with their account number and also the account number of mine to deposit the closed account. I filled it out and MAILED it to the bank. They informed me it would not be accepted, the wire transfer form MUST be "faxed" which in banker language today means sent in the open as an e-mail attachment. To email address: faxccb@citi.com

It was apparently rejected as promised so today I sent the wire transfer form by 'fax', that is, by e-mail.

I will be moving quickly other funds from the account which will receive the closed account to minimize the risk.

They informed me if I did not obey their insane decision my money would be turned over to the State of California.

And, we gave these clowns 700 billion dollars?

In other contact with US banks, many of them used the term fax to describe sending financial documents as an attachment to an e-mail.

Interesting. It is still quite common for banks and other financial institutions (at least in the US) that require signed documents to accept them if they are faxed. If your are to young to remember a FAX or Facsimile is a way to transmit documents over regular telephone lines using a standalone FAX machine or through a computer using an analog FAX MODEM. I am surprised that the bank did not accept real mail but could of been due to time constraints. There are digital signatures and other means to secure documents like PDFs now days too. I also find it interesting that banks describe faxing as an attachment to an email.

Let me add here that BanamexUSA is being closed by FDIC, which should know better.

The latest problem is they say my ABA number (check routing number is wrong, and I must call the bank to get the correct number. They do not seem to know how banks run. I have been using checks on that bank using that ABA number for around 18 years. If the ABA number were not correct no checks would ever get cashed.

Also, Social Security and pension checks are deposited each month with no problems. But, in April IRS informs me the ABA was not correct and sends a tax refund check to my house. Only IRS and FDIC can't find it. Clearly IRS and FDIC have transfer services with corrupted or incomplete data bases for ABA numbers. Yet, their response is to make it my fault, and I gotta' fix it.

I will call the bank tomorrow and talk to them as ordered by my masters. Then, I will call FDIC at BanamexUSA and try to talk to a technical person about the obvious fact the problem is their transfer service. If that fails, I will ask if they can send the check to my house, which I expect they will refuse to do. Then, I will contact the Help Squad of US Senator Cronyn for help. Probably too late to keep my money from being forfeited to California but I can do no more.